Cord connecter



W. ILE com) coNNEcTEn Ma a. 1921.

Filed May 6, 1926 2 Sheets-$heet 1 1,s27,2 May 3.1927. MILE v conn conuscwn fi M 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES A 1,627,286 PATENT I 0mm? WILLIAM ILE, or JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO REYNOLDS SPRING COMPANY,

' or JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

com) oonnnorim. V 7

Application ina May 6, 1926. Serial No. 107,284.

connecting the cord leading from an outlet.

to a lampv or other electrical appliance and capable of enabling-the cord to be readily 3 disconnected without detaching the same from the outlet.

,A further object 01 the invention is to provide a cord connecter of this character composed of separable sections adapted to be readily connected and disconnected at a,

point distant from the outlet and capable oi effectually preventing the contacts of the section connected with the cord leading from theroutlet from coming in contact with the handsor other portion of a person, thereby e'fl'ectuallyprotecting the latter from shocks in'asseinbling the sections of the cord con- ,necter andseparating them. p

Another objectof the inventionis to pro vide a cord connocter oi this character which whennecessary will afford readyv access to its contacts for the attachment or removal of the cord.

l Vith these and other invention consists, in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended,.it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa cord connecter constructed in accordance with this invention; 7 Q

-Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, v Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cap section having theknife contacts showing the inner face of the cap section, the insulating disk being removed; o 1 a Fig. t is a plan view of the insulating disk; A

Fig. 5 is a plan View ofthe cap section having the spring contacts; Fig.6 is a detailed perspective view of one of the conductor plates;

objects in view, the

;7 is a detailed perspective view of one of the spring contacts; 7

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the intermediate section showing the outer face thereof,

Fig. 9 is asin'iilar, view showing the-inner face thereof;

, Fig. 10 is a detailed perspective view of one of the curved corrugated fingers Fig. llis a detailed sectional view illustrating the manner 'ofsecuring the curved I fingers tothe intermediate section.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preierred embodiment of the invention, the cord connecter comprises.

in its construction cap sections 1 and 2 and an intermediate cylindrical section 3, each section being constructed of a single piece of molded insulating material, such as bakelite. approximately semi-spherical, are ot sub; stantially the same construction and are The cap sections land 2, which are i 7 provided with central openings 4 and 5 for the introduction of the portions 6 and Tot the cord to belconnected. The cap section i 1 constitutes a separable member and is provlded with knife contacts 8 which are adapted to engage spring contacts 9. The

knife, contacts 8 are formed integral with 11' to the cap section 1 in suitable recesses 12 thereof, the recesses forming the seats for the attaching portions of the knifefcontacts, The tubular rivets are embedded inthe maattaching plates '10 secured by tubular rivets terial ofthe cap section and theplates are provided at one end with lugs 13 for interlocking the plates with the end section, The wires of the portion 6 of the cord are secured to the plates of the knife contacts by binding.

screws 14 mounted on the plates 10" at the i opposite end to that having the lugs13. The inner face of the end section is normally coveredby an insulating disk"15 provided with slots ,16 to receive the knife contacts, and having curved radial recesses 17 at opposite sidesof its periphery to clear the portions 18 of the end cap. This will ,p'er- Init the insulating disk to fit snuglywithin the end cap and will cover and conceal the terminals of the wires of the cord, 6. The i cord 6 is designed to be connected with the lamp or other appliance,'while,the cord 7 is designed to extend to a floor plug or other outlet I The cap'section 2 is providedwith seats 19 to receive combined conductor and attachment plates '20 provided with upwardly extending transversely disposed lugs 21 which have recesses 22 to be engaged by curved corrugatedfingers .23 of the inter.- inediate section. The plates 20 are-secured to the section 2 by tubular rivets 24 which are embedded in the material of-theend section and which also pass through arms 25 of the spring contacts. The spring con-' tacts which are iapproximately .U-shaped, are provided with the said arms '25, which form an extension of one side of the spring contacts. The arm is interposed between the plates and'the seats of the end section and the rivets '24 pierce both theplates 20 and the arms 25. The spring contacts are arranged at right angles tothe lugs 21 and the recesses arelocated at the outer side edges of the lugs adjacent'to the marginal flange or portion of the endcap. The terminals of the wire ofthe cord 7 are secured to the plates 20 by binding screws 26 and the'said cord is designed to extend to an outlet orfixturean'd isnot removed therefrom when the sections of the cord connecter arese-parated. V p

The intermediate section'3, which is cylindrical, isprovided with a peripheral. recess' 'forming a reduced annular flange 27 which 'fits within the marginal flange ofthe capsec'tion 2. The said intermediate section is provided at its inner-"face at opposite sides'with curved recesses 28'to receive the curved fingers which are provided with at tacl'iingifianges or portions 29 secured by tubular rivets 30' tothe ii'itermediate section. The rivets are embedded in the material of the end section and do not extend to the outer face'thereof, so thatthe cap section 2 is eifectively closed and its contacts prevented from coming into contact with a per son handlingfthe device. .The intermediate section is provided with spaced S10LS3 lflf01f the passage of the-knife contacts, and it is --assen 1bled by jplacing it on the section 2 and partially rotating it to carry its curved corrugated fingers into the recesses of the 'lugsf2l. "This partial rotary movement also carries the slots 31 'to their proper p0sition adjacent the spring contacts, and when the knife contacts are passed through'the slots '31 the spring contacts are partially compressed and a perfect electrical connection or engagement is effected. At 'the sameitime the knife contacts lock the intermediate section against rotary movement by engaging with the lugs .21' which form stops and hold the'knife contacts.againstrotary movement. hen the plug section formed by thecap section 1 and the knife contacts is assembled and connected with the other sections, there is no'liability of the intermediate section having any. relative rotary movement and it will be impossible'for the intermediate section to become accidentally disengaged from the section 2 "which carries the spring contacts'and whichis connected'with the outlet box or fixture.

Khakis "claimed is: 1. A cord 'oonneoter comprising cap sections and an intermediate section, said sec- -t'ions being constructed of molded insulating material, spring contacts carried by one of-theca-p scctionsfknife contacts mounted on the other cap section .and adapted to engagethe spring contacts, cooperating means carried by the intermediate section and the cap section having'th spring contacts and interlocking the intermediate section "with such cap section and movable into-and out of engagement by a relative'rotary movement'of the cap and intermediate-sections, said intermediate section. being provided with slots through which pass "the knife contacts, whereby the intermediate section is held against relative rotary movement and 1ST'Gtt11116d'111 ltsinterlocked relation with the cap section when'the' 'knifecontacts are'iin engagementwi'thithe spring contactsand the parts assembled.

'2. A cord connecter 'comprising'a cap section, spring contacts carried by'the capsection, lugs arranged adjacent the spring'contacts and'hav-ing engaging-portions, anin termedi'ate section fittedon"thesaidcap'secsection, combined conductor andatta'chment plates secured to the cap section and vided with means for the attachment of.

wires ,and having 'lugs provided with recesses, spring contacts arranged adjacent to the lugs .and having portionssecured to the cap section 'by the said plates, a cy- 'lindr'ical intermediate section fitted .on the cap section and covering'the spring .contacts thereof and provided with means adapted to be carried into and outof engagement with "the said lugs by partial rotary movement of the intermediate section, and a cap section provided-with knife contacts extending through the'intermedi-ate section and engaging the spring contacts and locking the intermediate section against rotary movement. a i

4:. A cord connecter-comprising-a cap section, combined conductor and attachment plates secured to the cap section "and'provided with means for the attachment of wires and having lugs provided with recesses, springcontacts arranged adjacent to the lugs and having arms extending beneath the said plates and secured to the cap section, a cylindrical intermediatesection fitted on the cap section and covering the contacts thereof and provided with curved fingers arranged to he carried into and out of ei'igagement with the lugs bythe partial rotary movement of the intermediate section and having attaching portions secured to the same, and a cap section fitted on the intermediate section and provided with knife contacts extending through the intermediate section and engaging the spring contacts and held against rotary movement by the said lugs. 5. A cord connecter comprising a cap section, combined conductor and attachment plates secured to the cap section and provided with means for the attachment of wires and having lugs provided with recesses, spring contacts arranged adjacent to the lugs and having arms extending beneath the said plates and secured to the cap section, a cylindrical intermediate section having an annular flange, said intermediate section being provided with inner recesses and having slots located at the recesses, fingers mounted in the recesses and arranged to be carried into and out of engagement with the lugs 'by partial rotary movement of the intermediate section, and a cap section having knife contacts extending through the slots of the intermediate section and engaging the lugs and the spring contacts.

6. A cord connecter comprising an end section having spring contacts, an intermediate cylindrical section 7 covering the spring contacts and secured to the cap section, a cap section provided with seats and having inwardly extending portions adjacent the seats, knife contacts secured on the said seats and extending through the intermediate 7 section and engaging the spring contacts,

and an insulating disk having slots to receive the knife contacts and provided with radial recesses for engaging thesaid inwardly extending portions of the cap section and fitting Within the same. to cover the Wire attaching means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 7 i i I I WILLIAM ILE, 

